Vic Michaelis (Round and Round - Hallmark Channel - 2023)

[00:00:03] Hi, I'm Brandon. I love Hallmark movies. I'm Dan and I despise hallmark movies I'm Vic Michaelis and I am Doing my absolute best to continue to do more hallmark movies And this is the Deck The Hallmark Podcast Deck The Hallmark, it's this podcast And Friends Host is podcast

[00:00:28] Fa la la la la la la la la la la We hope you like this jolly podcast Fa la la la la la la la Wow wow wow For our first interview out of the gate for 2024 That's right. We're back to the interview and the strike's over, Brandon

[00:00:47] Strikes over? Gosh! We haven't interviewed someone since the strike's been over And Vic is still gonna work even though she's reeling from all the streaming revenues she's receiving now That the strike is over That's right That's exactly right. Congratulations to you and your

[00:01:02] Vic, welcome to the podcast. This is your first time First hallmark movie and you get an invite to Deck The Hallmark. I know that was kind of what you were hoping for Massive for me actually. You know honestly they asked me to do silly voices on podcasts

[00:01:18] Sometime so getting us to come on a podcast for myself for a hallmark movie is I mean just Really a cherry on top of the cake You will be treated as no less than an actor We're not gonna like look we this thing scripted

[00:01:31] We're not gonna get down here and like make you do silly stuff like we're all about serious Yeah, we're not gonna be like you're working the drive-thru and Kermit the frog is ordering a burger and fry and scene

[00:01:43] We're not gonna do that unless you want to and then we can Right well, thank you for treating me with the respect of which my my profession Demand so I appreciate you saying that

[00:01:55] Of course, of course and kermit. You can just keep driving through as I said before you're not welcome at this drive That's a little snippet of that

[00:02:05] Bramble jim plus.com you're not wrong more of that you might not and when are we taking down these christmas decorations brands since we're here and it's like You know almost MLK day. Yeah, I think well

[00:02:15] Next my next my next week. Yes by next week. We will have them down week. We'll have them down a winter set In a winter a winter as a winter set

[00:02:23] What about christmas in fili sure? No they come back out. Don't worry. Don't worry right now and all and also The good news is we need that winter set because we have a Golfing movie that takes place in hungry

[00:02:38] To review because nothing says winter. I don't need it from you Like a cup of cocoa and We're here to interview vick. We're here to interview vick. Okay. I want to go back vick

[00:02:49] We got a lot to talk about we've got comedy. We've got movie. We got big fun But I want to go back really is I want to go back the imdb list is not super long But I want to go back To when you were

[00:03:05] Yeah, like a baby a baby a toddler maybe when when did you first discover? Um that you have some sort of Desire to make people laugh or to put on a show. What were you like as a child?

[00:03:18] Was that something that kind of came out of you early on? Yeah, I mean sort of I'm from a big family. I didn't really start doing any kind of um Uh acting or performance stuff until high school

[00:03:32] I was raised by a single dad. He was very adamant that I do business Yeah, uh, so he was the you know the the kind of dad that was like

[00:03:39] I was in golfing lessons and he was like you're gonna need this for if you're ever in a business meeting or something like that Have you used to ever Golfing lessons. Have you closed the deal golf? Yeah

[00:03:52] Here's what I'll say. I don't know if I'm allowed to say it But I'm going to I audition for that golfing movie that's coming out next You did it next week Didn't get the part so I am assuming That my swing wasn't wasn't great Yeah, um, yeah

[00:04:08] So there's there's some examples for that am I allowed to say that? Probably not but I did and so uh, it's uh, thank you. Am I allowed to say I've already seen the film

[00:04:18] Yeah, no probably not but I have and you should have you I would it would have been great It would have been great. Um, uh, where were you born? Where were you born and raised?

[00:04:29] Uh, oh, okay. Those are two very different questions. I was born in New Jersey But I was raised we moved around a ton. So I I spent a bunch of time in Sort of like northern Illinois and then we moved up to

[00:04:43] Toronto and that was sort of finished up high school I would consider myself more uh more like socially canadian Uh, like born born states raised well, I was gonna yeah

[00:04:54] My question is gonna be are you proud to be an american and I guess I guess that's a no Do you have dual citizenship? I'm proud to be an american that moved to Canada. Yeah fair. I am

[00:05:04] I am uh, I'm an american citizen canadian permanent resident. Uh, there's like some annoying annoying there's like some rules for you have to be in canada for like, uh

[00:05:17] Uh, X amount of time while you're waiting for your passport to come in and I go back and forth between canada and la quite a bit So that's do you get the canadian health care perks or are you anybody that's there gets the perks, right?

[00:05:28] I do i'm a canadian tax payer. I'm uh, I uh, so I BC uh, british columbia and then also Los angeles so I get my bc healthcare and then I also pay for american healthcare. So Best of both worlds type situation. That is the best

[00:05:43] I will say this. Yeah, thank goodness you're paying for the real healthcare Uh vika in the bramblejane plus chat which you cannot see but uh, if you if you were a member of bramblejane plus You could watch this early

[00:05:54] All of our new jersey listeners are claiming you so I don't know where that falls from Oh great all claiming you because they're you know new jersey. So I just want to let you know that

[00:06:04] No, I love that. Thank you so much. I'm con I'm I'm a you know a nation with no flag I'm constantly looking for a home. So this is until you get sick and then the home is seranto

[00:06:16] Is yeah, it's immediately bc. I don't know any of the words to the nationalized Nothing you can do that so you moved around a bunch learning the golf lessons uh business and in high school

[00:06:27] Did you just kind of fall into the drama class and and just kind of go? Let me try to try this out or was that not the path? Well Okay, so maybe this is a little bit

[00:06:37] I don't know if this is like the confidence that I have by being raised by a dad that liked me or like, you know I really like I moved up from uh

[00:06:46] I moved from uh, Chicago land area up to toronto and I was like i'm gonna reinvent myself I've never done a play I'm just going to start telling people that I act because I always wanted to do acting

[00:06:56] So I got up there and I just started a rumor that I was I like Did see her at my old school. Have you heard about me? Well, man, if youtube was around you would see That man

[00:07:10] But I just I really did just like the start of rumor that I I did a bunch of theater in my old school and then I got to theater auditions for like our spring play or whatever and I was

[00:07:19] Terrible, I gave maybe the worst audition. I would imagine of the semester but everybody just sort of went Well, Vic was an actor back in Chicago So it must have just been a weird audition and I ended up getting like one of the lead parts

[00:07:33] In the play did it go well? Not really But it gave me some like experience of being on stage Which then sort of like from there. I did some other like local youth theater And yeah, just sort of sort of took off from from there

[00:07:48] You said big family. How many brothers and sisters? I want to five. Okay. Wow eyes am I I just did the math You yeah, it took you Brain is also on delay Yeah, he's there. He is yes. He's all I'm also one of five. Yeah

[00:08:06] It's January 3rd. What uh, what that's amazing oldest youngest can't tell yeah create this you can't tell he's the youngest I mean look at this sweater, you know, I see you don't wear this

[00:08:19] You don't wear that at all list if you wear this no, hey, that's that's okay I am the oldest so it's uh, that's sort of And hey, we're sitting on the same podcast. So what do you think about me? That's true? What I mean like this is all

[00:08:33] We're we're we're the same except this is your podcast. I'm a guest on So for now for now So tell me what how it progressed you you get in the play you suck and then you're like

[00:08:46] I want to I want to do this more and saw and did you get better between audition and the play itself Did you kind of find find yourself and figure out how to do it or was it all bad?

[00:08:56] Um, no, it was comedial art. Hey, uh, which if you know anything about it is just like all around tough And so for me I honestly I also had a just like an impossible time remembering the lines

[00:09:08] And so I would just like I had a couple of monologues and I would just start making stuff up And that to be like getting little laughs making stuff up was like that was the gold and that um

[00:09:20] Yeah, and so for me, uh from there I was like, oh like that's what I'm chasing is like I want to I want to make people laugh like that. It's tough though because like big family

[00:09:28] I'm not even the funniest person in my family which is hard. Uh, so it's I really had to like train like go to Go do some trading, uh, which you know I want to talk about the training but first wrong answer only what is comedia del orte?

[00:09:44] Oh comedian del orte. It is uh, it is a drink first of all And it's it's a in an initial essence Um, you've seen wonka You know the chocolate

[00:09:57] But then drink one. Oh, I got you very good. Uh, so you decided to go to training for improv like improv comedy. Is that what I'm hearing?

[00:10:05] Yeah, yeah, I did a lot of like well, I mean it was sort of a long way around I I did some like intensive act I sort of after high school, uh, and I was like I'm gonna be a series actor. This is great

[00:10:17] I got to Vancouver. I was very lonely. Uh, and so I took short form in prop classes like theater sports type stuff in Vancouver as a way to get to know people and uh from there I was like, oh, yeah, like

[00:10:29] This is uh, this is what I want to be doing. So by the time I got down to LA I started up at the uh, uh, the operate citizens brigade, which is like a big comedy school Down there Yeah, and I was really lucky to

[00:10:41] Uh, uh get on like one of their house teams down there And so I I did that and then that house team is sort of now turned into a small

[00:10:50] Part time uh part time job, which has been great when when you uh realize that you like the laugh And you kind of wanted to explore that were there any comedians that you were turning or even early on that you just were like

[00:11:01] I love this style of of comedy or this person really like Open my eyes to what's possible when it comes to comedy. Oh, yeah, that's a great question I mean like I feel like, you know

[00:11:13] Broken record of everybody that likes comedy who like looks at like the carol burnett and lucio balls Of it all but uh, I mean like that really is the answer when you're looking at um, you know, like big

[00:11:26] Comedians who have like gone on to do stuff. I think um, but uh, I mean like I have my answers But it's going to be like niche comedians in LA who I'm like I started doing in profit

[00:11:36] It was like these two people. Um, but I uh, uh, there's like There are definitely like, um, I think a few Comedians that were like a few steps above me that I I just was lucky to be able to go just like watch perform six nights a week

[00:11:49] and uh, uh, it's you know, I was just really fortunate that you know My my job allowed me to do that at the time and just I got a lot of reps I saw a lot really immersed myself in it and I was able to get a lot

[00:12:01] You you see you see b is the is the one that you have to work your way up So when you come in like you could be like sweeping floors and doing just very basic stuff

[00:12:10] And you get to watch the house teams. Am I making that up in my head or have I heard that somewhere? No, so It's like uh, you you got to start taking classes and then also too as you're taking classes in order to earn credits for classes

[00:12:22] I don't know how it is now, but it used to be that you could intern And so it really was just and also if you were taking classes you could go see shows for free

[00:12:28] And like stand on the side to watch shows and so I mean like I lived an hour and a half away So I would come before rush hour do my class and then sit sit there all night watching shows

[00:12:38] And then go home at like midnight was sort of my my thing I did for like two years I love it. Have you auditioned for snl? No, you know what like I love snl

[00:12:50] I have uh, I have a bunch of friends that have gone that route and and done that and I am You know, I love Sketch, I think it's really fun. I uh, would say my my love and by heart is more with improv

[00:13:04] On the improv side of things. I mean like listen if they came knocking up absolutely That's not what I heard but that'd be loud and clear. No, I want to make it very clear if anybody's offering me a job I will

[00:13:13] If anybody's offering me a job, I am saying yes How how hard would it be? For you to just read the cue cards Like that's the big deal on snl, right is like Please read the cards like please read the cards. Please

[00:13:26] How hard like you're such a like we've watched, you know clips and you can go on tiktok or college humor wherever Like you have a natural ability to do what you do and it's I didn't know you had any training

[00:13:38] I just thought you were good at it, but it training makes sense But how hard would it be because snl is not improv? It just isn't I think some of their best ideas probably come from that

[00:13:48] Sitting around the riders room, but how hard would that be for you? Oh That's a very kind of you to say and what I'll say is my biggest hurdle is going to be uh, I'm dyslexic So physically reading the cards is going to be almost impossible. Uh

[00:14:02] Brand is probably dyslexic too Yeah, it is but like he is Yeah, yeah, I have a tough time. I think we might be the same person

[00:14:11] I'm going to put on the sweater and then I think there's a chance that I could just sit in your seat and people I love this plan and I also think uh Because I have two boys that need healthcare. We should move the podcast to canals

[00:14:24] I think I think that would be Yeah, yeah, I think it's a good plan I think this is a good idea You know what I'm saying for now? I can help operations. I'm just like I we're just throwing some things Stop selling. I mean

[00:14:38] It's going to be after epiphany for crazy is this episode's not coming out after epiphany and I got Christmas trees on either side of it. Yeah, you can't see them because we zoomed in for good morning America

[00:14:48] But if we had sick sick brag, bro, there yeah name drop we were on good morning America There's Christmas trees on either side of us. So we're surrounded right now. It's a lot

[00:15:00] I love that. Yeah. Thanks you. Thank you. That's very nice. It's very nice. Thank you. Thanks you Thanks you So you start doing the training and then you work your way up to the show Did you get to collaborate with uh,

[00:15:27] Many comedians that have gone out and kind of made a name of just much like yourself That you'd be like I can't believe like I got to work with this person or or anything like that in your time there Oh man, that's a really great question. Um

[00:15:42] Yeah, I mean I I feel like I've got a lot of I mean, it's really tough. I I mean, this is like, you know The the true answer which is like the people that I work with now

[00:15:53] Especially a lot of the folks that come through drop out and the folks that I get to work with on a regular basis We have this show called ask at a ucb, which is like a um, it's like a rotating panel of uh, sort of

[00:16:05] Improvizers and then we get people to come on and and give monologues and like those folks that come through were all absolutely incredible. It's like people I watched

[00:16:15] Growing up on tv that are now like coming back and doing monologues or dropping in to do improv with us. Um, like I can't Like specific names. I don't know like what it'll mean to anybody

[00:16:27] But like for me, it's like all of the all of the community voices that I watched on tv now I'm getting to like a lot of them. I'm getting to interact with now on a regular basis and like that has been um

[00:16:38] Bizarre in a really in I mean incredible way like very dreamlike Getting to do that and then on drop out like recording improv with all of my um Like the people that I improvise with the most and that like mean the most to me in the world

[00:16:52] And the people that I think are so incredibly funny and having That improper corded and sent out to the world and other people enjoying it has been just like Yeah, an absolute dream come true. I do want to get to drop out here in just a minute

[00:17:04] But I do it like just looking at your imdb uh Here you talk about acting and how that or acting and then going into improv You still like you have a various shorts on here, which I imagine are comedic in nature

[00:17:17] And I apologize for not watching every single But I also see an episode of uh of charmed on here. Of course Which is uh fun so like Did First of all, but also we're like well eventually end up at round round and round

[00:17:37] Clearly acting is still something that you care about Is it always been something that you've been like I I I want to get back to acting like improv Like I want to be able to do both of these things that I love

[00:17:52] Yeah, yeah, I'm like I'm very fortunate in uh in that like every year, you know, like I End of the day like acting is what uh pays for the most part and uh, so I

[00:18:04] If if improv could pay the bills the way acting did I would only ever do And provide stuff and record it like I just it's it's where my heart is I love it in the same way that I think people that do like

[00:18:15] Stage work or like if I could just do plays forever, I would just do that. Um, but I I really um I mean, I really love acting. I I think it's a lot of fun. Uh uh, it's yeah, I mean I

[00:18:29] I I enjoy it. I I liked getting to sort of uh Have a hand in picking projects a little bit like, you know charmed Wonderful amazing if anybody that worked on that show wants to pay me to come do whatever show they're working on now

[00:18:42] Please I loved working with you. Cast and crew was like Wonderful, I mean like the best the best we loved charmed Yes, yes any any of them are welcome in my home. Uh, so, you know, please please um, let me in um, wherever you're working I uh

[00:18:57] I the really the nice thing about hallmark is uh, I mean like At least in my experience with it was they were so like I would do more hallmark and a heartbeat It's like they they shoot so fast like

[00:19:10] At least the set that I was on like everybody was very amiable to being like, yeah, let's like let's play with it a little bit Let's see like, you know, uh, how this how this scene fits with sort of like the characters that we've developed which was really

[00:19:22] Wait 2018 hallmark would like to have a word Uh They had a regime change in 2020 Before then they literally were trying to make the same movie Like the idea that you would like get get a take where you do something different would be crazy

[00:19:40] But the new hallmark is very much like in that vein and but before we get there, I do want to ask you this because I I I think improv is like pizza in new york city There's like a lot of it and most of it is bad

[00:19:54] But when you get like when it's good, it's it's great It's like maybe better than just watching a comedy and so Like I guess it's a two-part question. The one is just a softball like hey What makes improv great? And I think I know the answer

[00:20:09] But I want to hear from somebody who's a pro but the other is is like When you're in one of the houses in upright citizens brigade of the like I just would love to know

[00:20:17] What percent of it bombs like what percent of what you're doing? It's improv. It can't all be like like nobody's laughing or feeling Like I would be like, oh, I didn't think that was good. Well

[00:20:29] I'm more interested in something that bombed in the room, but you still are like but that's how we Like we're big on like though if it works for us We don't care about bomb but

[00:20:38] It like how often do you leave like walk off the stage like what percent of the bits? Like just a ballpark you guys are in so much trouble. This is my favorite thing to talk about and I literally will not shut up about

[00:20:52] Because I I got nowhere to be There's a few parts to this question right because at the end of the day if you're putting out something that you feel good about You think is funny

[00:21:02] It doesn't really matter what the crowd thinks because then it's just the round crowd for what you're doing right because improv is so subjective It's based on like a comedy in general is so subjective like if you are

[00:21:14] Doing something and you've trained in your craft and like there you have reached a certain level of its success But the most part there are people out there that think what you're doing is funny

[00:21:21] So it's a lot of times especially being live especially being in in a small house like at ucb. It's It's a lot of times it's like you're doing something and either the timing's not just quite right or

[00:21:34] The type of comedy you're doing is it quite for the crowd? That's watching it but like a true bomb like being like I thought that was bad and it didn't land in the room I would say that actually is like quite

[00:21:46] Rare these days oftentimes especially with my improv team. It's a lot of we're very fortunate that there are like a lot of A lot of people that do stuff on dropout as well or on my improv team as well. And so we get a lot of

[00:22:00] Folks who like dropout content that come to our show. So a lot of times We we have like a warm crowd there and then at ucb. I'd say like it's a it's a pretty I'd say like maybe like three percent of the time are you performing to like

[00:22:15] Silence which so what like one show every couple of months where it's just like If i'm up like five times a week something like that Yeah, and that's just like is what it is, you know, like it is a live art

[00:22:26] But you know a lot more often than I'd say maybe like 30 40 percent of the time you're doing something we were like no I felt okay about that show but like it just isn't totally working with the crowd

[00:22:36] Maybe a little bit more than that and then I would say the most common thing is just like I didn't feel good about what I did but the crowd seemed to think it was all right You know what I mean? Like I think you know

[00:22:46] But also I think that's how you keep getting better is to have that barometer for yourself in your head Where you're like, oh, I have a bar for myself. And if i'm not meeting that bar it's um

[00:22:56] I need to keep working harder. How many days a week are you doing improv be it with Dropout or with your troop or whatever? A lot a lot. Um, I'm

[00:23:07] Not as much as I used to because i'm not doing as many indie shows as I used to so for the most part now i'm doing shows we're like You know, especially the post pandemic now they've changed the structure

[00:23:16] So they're paying performers for all shows which is how it should be but it's uh, like the the shows that i'm doing now I'm a little bit. I'm not doing every show that comes up anymore So I'd say probably like three to five times a week

[00:23:29] I'm on stage so throughout this time that you were doing ucb and and whatever else you're doing You've been auditioning for like acting roles as well. Yeah

[00:23:38] Yeah, for the most part. I um, I go up back and forth between here in canada and for the most part. I um, I am still like auditioning in I have a Bad audition story like just like wow boy. What happened?

[00:23:58] Yes, absolutely. I it's like one of those ones where it was like I couldn't have written it in a way It was like when I first got down to la and I got an audition for a we'll say a tween series and I thought

[00:24:12] Based on the breakdown there were two characters with very similar names and they were in a scene together and I had prepared one character who was like The the like the young hot version of something and they had wanted me to play like

[00:24:27] Like the older aunt of that character Uh, oh, is that the dyslexia coming out? Like did you just go you you read it and you're like, uh, oh It was like jayney and jayney You can't send somebody a script with jayney and jayney

[00:24:45] I'm young hot jayney and they were like no you're anti jayney Oh Oh my goodness Fantastic, just like this is wrong. This is I there was some um, there was some confusion Can you do the other role and I went?

[00:25:04] Yeah, and I gave maybe the worst on it Fair done in my entire with no preparation. You should have walked out. You should have said i'm either hot jayney or i'm walking walking

[00:25:14] It's right. Listen. I I don't know if I have imparted anything in this interview, but I will do anything for a job I want the job. I don't care what it is. I want the job. I will take the job

[00:25:25] Yeah, I've got a golfing movie for next winter. Uh, it's gonna be an istanbul and it's gonna be awesome To to get yeah middle of the winter. Yeah middle of the winter find the ball in the snow. Yeah. Yeah classic That's great. That's great. I love the winter

[00:25:49] So you said did you found am I college dropout? Did you like start it? Oh, damn. I don't know this information I'd love to hear it. So no that's a okay So college dropouts been around for college humors been around. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah

[00:26:02] So and then and then they evolved to drop out which is I don't totally know that story so going from creating uh shorts on the internet forever To kind of evolving into doing these fun improv games into a streaming series

[00:26:17] How did all that come to be and when did you kind of get your foot in that door? Yeah, it's a long crazy history. I started working for college humor in 2019 as a freelancer when they had started the streaming service dropout

[00:26:32] And basically over 2019 the company was being sold college humor by the parent company and they didn't have a buyer and One of the creative heads sam reich Ended up purchasing was able to purchase dropout the streaming service. So college humor completely went under

[00:26:48] Dropout was able to sort of survive through this purchase. Uh, and they ended up come I don't know if uh, you guys are d&d fans at all or have any knowledge of that world But they had this show called d20 that really started hitting

[00:27:00] online and on the internet and uh through that they were sort of able to grow The the company in the business on that side of things. So it really was like the brink of death ended up being able to

[00:27:12] Keep going on through d20 and then they started this show called game changers, which does a lot of clips Online and through that make some noise fun. And then I'm now working on this show called very important people

[00:27:23] Which is one of the first new shows they've done in a while But it's been um, I mean like it's it is my favorite company I've ever worked for I mean like companies or companies, but they are such a Such a great one From my vantage point

[00:27:37] I love that. Uh, talk about very important people. Um, I think only a few episodes are out at this point um, but uh from what I've seen It's hilarious. You basically interview another comedian, but that comedian is embodying a character full makeup Costume everything

[00:28:00] Which is just fantastic. Great idea Was this your idea or was it something that just kind of happened in you because of the other stuff that you've done got attached to it

[00:28:11] Yeah, yeah, so it's a spiritual sequel of an old show that they did with josh rubin and pat castle called Hello, my name is which is the same format for us though like we sort of uh, it's longer now we changed up sort of

[00:28:26] My character's role a little bit where I'm playing like a character version of myself who's uh interviewing Uh these guys we have like the makeup team is unbelievable. They they're like literally day two

[00:28:38] I'm in the makeup chair and somebody comes over to alex our our head of makeup Who was like whispered something and she was like, oh Thank you so much and I was like, okay. I'll bite what happened and she was like, oh nothing

[00:28:47] and I was like, okay, she's like I just We just got nominated for emmies and I was like, what are you talking about literally day two of our shoot

[00:28:56] Wow day two of our shoot our makeup department was all nominated for emmies for their work on the mandalorian. Wow Okay, this is uh This is gonna be a good this is gonna be a good show kidding

[00:29:07] And do you you as the host don't know what's about to come out? Uh, so a little bit. So I um, uh, I'm a I'm a co-executive producer on it too. So I got to sort of know

[00:29:21] Uh, so we have like code names for all of these characters like uh from our first episode We had like uh Our princess emily was listed as like the raver girl

[00:29:31] But that being said like I have no idea what characters are coming out. Like I know at one point The actor Anna was talking about doing like a mortgage broker who dresses like that

[00:29:41] So it's like it doesn't really help on the improv side of things to know what they're gonna look like But it doesn't necessarily hurt either. So, uh, that's that's sort of like just helping get to pair What costumes I think would be interesting for people

[00:29:53] I had a little bit of input in that but for the most part that was up to the creative team I love them. I love that Yeah, let's talk about hallmark. Uh, can you just uh, here we go

[00:30:04] No, we made it. Uh, and uh, we both quite enjoyed the movie. I Had it first for the year for the year we collectively brand had it second And so I my question to you is is why do you think brand hates you?

[00:30:18] Um, and I'll take that answer however you'd like to Yeah That's so funny. I that's a question that I would also like to know and I have my own reason and we don't need to get into it But um, just built more was number one for me

[00:30:31] And it was more just the building and the magic and whatnot. You're gonna defend the other movie to the actor I just want to get it. It was okay. Okay. Hold on Just hold on Vic auditioned for Christmas at billboard and didn't get it Yeah, so

[00:30:48] How does how does that make you round so round and round? Would I be the first guest that you made cry on your podcast? Um on the podcast itself? Yes, but dan has made multiple people cry with his reviews come on the show

[00:31:00] And I'm like if you're in the show thinking they don't listen and they're like, oh, yeah You made me cry and I was like, oh No Um, so that's me and one of them is tamera. Now we have the sister sister actor. You're kidding True story

[00:31:16] That's really hard. Has that changed your reviews at all? Like has that changed the way you talk about movies? We like my stuff. I try to be like critical But not like I try to never make it personal and the other one

[00:31:29] I think yeah tamera said like, you know what you were saying was right I just didn't and then ashley williams was the other one who's a wonderful like she's a dear friend of ours She's so sweet. She produced this movie with her sister

[00:31:42] And they did a kimberley williams badly and the two christmas swishy swap and I basically talked about how This is a great idea, but hallmark just didn't let it work Like it didn't really unleash it and let it work and here's why it didn't work and then

[00:31:56] When I when I saw her she was like i'm taking off my makeup. I'm washing my face I'm like, let me see what the guys thought and I heard you and I just started crying because as a producer You what you were saying was not inaccurate

[00:32:09] And so I think both of those on the surface. It sounds terrible that I made them cry But I I'd never go after people like I'm not I hope I'm never punching down Like I hope what I'm saying is very much this movie doesn't work

[00:32:22] But I will say it has changed from the beginning when I first started you're not looking up people's IMDb's and telling them it's the size of a dessert Yeah, I'm not bringing someone on the show and going I liked a movie more than yours

[00:32:33] Like I wouldn't do that. Okay. I didn't I wasn't planning on that But I but again, but you know what my thing is is at least I reviewed the episode or the movie Dan got the flu and so he he didn't I did a video no

[00:32:47] I did a video where I reviewed the the film. So there is a review out there. It's just not on the podcast doesn't matter Anyway, how'd you get involved with it? It's a great movie. Sorry. How'd you get involved with it?

[00:32:59] Classic I I honestly auditioned I like I yeah, I truly just Auditioned for it. I just didn't again. Am I supposed to be saying this? Who knows? I'm doing it I auditioned for every single part in that movie

[00:33:10] I think like I auditioned for both of the sisters first and then they messaged me and I auditioned for Rachel and then literally the next day I was I was like, okay. Yeah, you're you're going to the fitting the parts

[00:33:25] Yours did you get to read the script in its entirety first or did you just get like a few sides and had to go in and audition? I

[00:33:32] Just got the side. It's so like now post COVID everything is okay. I got you didn't go of course. Yeah, so it's So it really was just like I and the script that I had for the sisters was a very different script from the script

[00:33:45] I had coming in it was like Yeah Round and round is very funny and it's authentic Authentically funny and hallmark has had this problem for years where they're not funny and and then in the new regime It was no like like historic like not from a

[00:34:04] Historically not funny like take the joke out. They don't want to be it's not like they were trying to be funny And they weren't and when they were it was I understand But and then now in the last three years, they've tried to be funny and

[00:34:18] Adding trying to add the calm back in the wrong And so they've they've done like they've done a few things that have been legitimately funny but for me, I thought this was a pretty like Like Specific intentional thing where it's like we're going to hire an actual

[00:34:34] Funny person so not that these other actors aren't capable But and I think I'm sure you've heard this I've heard in a thousand interviews I listen with podcasts and other interviews where comedic actors are like It's way harder to be funny than it is

[00:34:47] To to be serious like to do a serious role But they I thought it was intentional. I thought I thought it was like We got someone who's trained in improv who's comedic who's willing to do our movie

[00:34:59] Let's make it happen, but it sounds like you were just hoping to be in the in the movie Did at what point did they tell you like hey? We want you to be funny in this or did they? I mean a little bit behind the curtain

[00:35:11] I have been on hold for every single hallmark movie for I want to say the last year Like literally every part in every hallmark movie. I have been on What a higher Vic McAleis are you kidding me right now? I just like listen I

[00:35:32] I like I said, I love I love working. I love working. It's my favorite thing to do. I will do it I'm so thrilled to be here I um, but yeah, it's just like it's one of those things where again like I

[00:35:45] I also recognize that I am uh I am especially for an institution that has such a specific identity or has historically had such a specific identity I'm not necessarily the natural

[00:36:00] Choice, you know what I mean like I especially like again like you look at any work. I've done. It's a lot of like kind of absurd Comedy that's like that's like a lot of what I'm doing a lot of stuff

[00:36:12] That's like played to be very serious, but is just like ridiculous I'm not necessarily like I think the pick on paper that people would be like. Oh, yeah, this is probably somebody that we want to like Have the lead of one of our

[00:36:26] Movies, I'm so thrilled that they took the chance on it But I also like again, this was also sort of like a match that was like a little bit Serendipitous and that like you know me coming in with you know

[00:36:38] Not a lot to back me up and then getting to work with somebody like Brian who came in day one on our first meeting It was like I love improvising how much am I allowed to improvise like that's important part to wear how I work

[00:36:49] And I was like, yeah, I mean it probably wants to improvise. I want to improvise that sounds good to me Like I mean if Brian wants to do it, I guess I'll do it Twist my arm. So like again

[00:36:58] Is that a swing that I necessarily would have taken like my first thing my my first one Being like this is something that's really important to me probably not I probably would have played it a little bit safer

[00:37:07] But I just got very fortunate that like I ended up working with somebody who I got along with really well And then who also had like that being an important part of how he

[00:37:15] How his process was and how he liked working and so that just and then like a director and a creative team that we're all like Yeah, absolutely. Let's like make that a part of this and a part of the character

[00:37:25] So we just got very very lucky that all of that sort of fit into place Is there a line that you improved that made the cut that you're proud of especially proud that made it to the screen? um

[00:37:38] We improvised a lot and I was really shocked that a lot of it made it to the Screen um, I think especially like as we were doing it a lot of it We got sort of like the talk of like, you know, like this is a film

[00:37:52] We all really love but you know, like there's a good chance that none of the improv is going to make it And I was like really thrilled that like a good A good a lot of like scene tags may be awesome

[00:38:04] Uh, like a lot of a lot of that bar scene like the stuff at the end of the bar scene Made it that I was like really uh, it's a great scene. Great scene. Yeah Yeah, yeah, so the back of that like a lot of that improv

[00:38:18] Most of that's improv and that all made it in like with the Andy McDowell alarm clock stuff We were pretty happy Pretty happy with that. I mean like we're so lucky that uh tomorrow the the writer like, you know Had a had a very clear, uh, you know

[00:38:33] And especially like with how complicated the time loop stuff can be just like really like Setting up very a very clear thing and having like clear Games for all of these characters written out like it just made it very very easy to continue to build a pop

[00:38:46] Yeah, I think I have time loop stuff But I have to talk about the fact that this is a Hanukkah movie and hallmark another thing that hallmark does is they throw you one Hanukkah movie and in it's basically

[00:38:58] The jewish folks don't don't know what christmas is have never heard of it and the christmas folks have never heard Of Hanukkah and it's like explain to me this

[00:39:06] Crazy, I i'm serious go watch another one and it's like well, that's good to go every year. I forget every Is it a candle? And it's like what are these kids they're everywhere

[00:39:16] So many candles and you're spinning a top like i'm serious. I'm not like they do this thing where it's like now Let me teach you about You know the macabees or the whatever and it's it becomes this educational film that no one asked for and what's unfortunate is

[00:39:30] While there's 35 other christmas movies There's typically not another Hanukkah movie this movie the reason it was number one for me aside from having this Great whip smart dialogue with characters who didn't feel like someone was writing a nerd in a comic book store

[00:39:44] But it was actually a nerd in a comic book store like all that stuff's important time loop trope is my favorite trope But what what did it for me was we got a Hanukkah movie that treated people like adults

[00:39:54] So is there a little bit of like x explanation in the movie occasionally? Yeah, but for the most part It's just a movie where these are the traditions of the family. You're not stupid You know what Hanukkah is and even if you've not experienced it

[00:40:08] It's not hard to just come along for the ride and so Was that ever talked about or did you have any idea that that was the history? Or you just went in with the script and was like let's do this thing

[00:40:19] Yeah, no, I um, I I didn't know that that was the history of sort of like hallmarks Experience with Hanukkah movies and I think that that really is like a nod to the writer Tomorrow like that was how it was in the script. I mean like the

[00:40:32] It's really interesting like as somebody that celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah Like obviously like we decorate for Christmas and we have our menorah out for the most part is like our Hanukkah And the menorah what is the menorah again? I know it's candles on a month seven eight

[00:40:45] I can't remember and there was oil and there's a land I don't know It's um, it's that'll be for party We'll be sort of like that We're gonna go through it and we're gonna explain all of it and sort of a director's commentary style but it

[00:41:01] It really is like it's it was so interesting like coming in on the first day and being like Oh, this is like Hanukkah decorated in a way that is for Like Christmas like it's like a this is exactly what it would look like but I mean like fun

[00:41:17] Like very fun like it was cool. I've I've I've never seen so many menorahs in my in my life, but it was beautiful Right. Um, you you've mentioned that you have auditioned for a lot of hallmark movies Um, what what is your history with hallmark?

[00:41:31] Have you seen a lot of hallmark movies and you have like that's the desire to be in these movies or just lived in Canada Just lived in canada, you know like there's a there's a whole machine

[00:41:41] Of movies that get made in canada that are for that specific network How did your interest originally peak when it comes to homework? Yeah, I mean like for me mostly like I mostly have like been and been held on like the network side of stuff

[00:41:58] I mean like a lot of pilots that I've been a real angel of death for network tv and pilots Like I've come in on the second to last episode of so many series that ended up getting cancelled after I was on

[00:42:11] Not probably the decision was made before I was on the show And then like a lot of pilots didn't go like I that's been like a lot of like a lot of network comedy. I've done almost every comedy that has come through

[00:42:23] Vancouver at some point or like auditioned for it or been a part of a pilot for something like that. So, I mean like Hallmark is such a big Part of it I they're like very strict about like bc residency and my folks are in Toronto and um, I

[00:42:42] I came and established residency in 2020 during the pandemic and uh Yeah, since then been you know once I was established as a bc resident then I was all of a sudden auditioning for a lot of hallmark stuff In 2021 and it just yeah

[00:42:58] Like it just never again like I think I was always an option for like Oh if we want somebody like kind of quirky and kind of funny and it just like was never totally a direction that people were Looking for and then I got really fortunate

[00:43:08] I was able to do a table read for something actually Somebody had dropped out last minute and it seemed like maybe they needed somebody to fill that spot And I do actually have a lot of acting training like I did do a lot of

[00:43:21] A lot of acting but I just like my heart and my bread and my butter is Like comedy and quirky comedy and that was the parts I was going out for for the most part

[00:43:30] But uh, yeah post that table read people were like, oh, maybe Vic could do something like this I think so uh, yeah from there then I was able to do round and round Could you tell me what the table read was for?

[00:43:40] Like are you kidding on I can but I I'm happy to tell you. I don't know if I should have it You can tell me that after we we dropped the live we can tell that's fine

[00:43:51] But I just I'd be happy to I just want to speak uh to the the fine folks at hallmark It was the game of thrones prequel I didn't want to give that away, but we do have that. Yes. We have that club

[00:44:04] Um that's uh round and round was such a great movie and obviously the comedy worked But the the acting like you seemed so perfect for that role And it wasn't just because of the comedy that comedy was obviously fantastic

[00:44:19] It felt like your voice was perfect for that role and it just it just fits like the whole thing Um Was fantastic and I and I hope that moving forward More roles come your way because it would throw me to no end

[00:44:34] To see you more on the on the screen of these things that we get to review I really appreciate you saying that of course. I I think you know tomorrow. I didn't mean a word of it

[00:44:43] But I from the guy who said there was a movie bed. That's okay. You don't need to I just want to hear you Tomorrow wrote another one of my favorite uh, hallmark christmas movies

[00:44:51] And I I I would love to see more from tomorrow because I the writing I thought was great You and brian were fantastic and then from a time loop perspective This is one of the few movies. I think

[00:45:02] Hallmark rarely sticks the ending aside from the kiss, which we all know is coming But this ending like for me. I've watched 700 hallmark movies vick over the last six years I am so rarely surprised If ever

[00:45:19] I think it's 700 movies the number of times I've been surprised in the last eight minutes of a hallmark movie Has to be single digits if not just round and round. I can't think of another one I'm sure it exists but

[00:45:31] To have and I if you if you've not seen the film go see the film I'll try not to spoil it but to have the reveal Of this time loop device and to realize who all is involved

[00:45:44] And to and what it actually means to this family as a family heirloom Was not only poignant Because it speaks to like the traditions we pass on to our kids

[00:45:55] Just for a while as you're saying this when rick hoffman walks in who I would love in this movie And lays down on the bed like this and it's like let's I got I got to tell you this like

[00:46:05] Just such a great see and rick hoffman is never in these movies and he's freaking phenomenal. He's so good. Anyway He's oh But so when all of this is starting to be revealed and it is both poignant

[00:46:17] So the movie is about more than the guy and the girl in the kiss and it's a twist On the film's plot and it's like someone took the time to care about more than the guy and the girl in the kiss

[00:46:30] I was blown away. I think for me I was like man, this is one of the best movies of the year right there with built more and in the last 10 minutes

[00:46:37] I was like this is this is it. This is what we're looking for and it was played so perfectly by you and brian I I don't I know that there seems to be no question in the near future But my question is you acknowledge that yes

[00:46:49] Like how much of that? How much of the time loop stuff like how much of that is out? We hear 15 day shoots these movies are done on the fly. We change things. We're we're molding our characters How much of that was just in the original script you got?

[00:47:05] Like how much of the so I mean like the structure of the script We didn't really mess with at all like stuff that we got to improvise was like

[00:47:14] Tags jokes like things like that like a lot of like jokes that seem like oh that seems like maybe it was um ad-lib probably that uh that was like if it seemed like it was something that like

[00:47:26] You know was like sad that out of rhythm of a script a little bit We probably got to ad-lib it a little bit But uh, but I mean like tomorrow just did such an incredible job like really structuring this thing

[00:47:37] I had a notebook because I was like yeah, like you said like 14 day shoot like you're you're going like you know like 15 hours a day or whatever to To get your day and like I just have like a binder like this deck being like

[00:47:49] This is lukewarm. These are the scenes in lukewarm. This is what's happening This is sort of like and the and the poor costumes that were just like because I made this is just like a Easter egg for nobody but it was like I the poor costumes department

[00:48:03] I made the decision to button up my sweater on the first night And then I was like it's too complicated It's too hot because we were shooting in the middle of june and I was like it's way too rookie mistake unbuttoned

[00:48:14] It was a rookie mistake, especially for a time live movie And so then any time it was the first night I had to remember to button And then we had to unbutton it for the rest of the loops. So it was I mean poor dana in costumes really

[00:48:28] Doing god's work. Well there it was and I think that when you realize the number of loops are important in this movie I was that to me was the part where I was like no, no, no And I was starting to go back and count

[00:48:40] In my head at the end of this film and that's just something that homework movies typically don't don't do they just don't Do them and I it was such a rare like wonderful Combustion of all of these great things coming together

[00:48:51] And I really do hope that we're we're going to get to see a lot more from you because I think it's well deserved And uh homework if anyone out there is listening we hear occasionally you guys do listen to us

[00:49:03] You really should do yourself a favor here. I like this is a no-brainer. Uh, just just wonderful. It was a wonderful film. It really was Thank you so much. I really really appreciate you guys saying that and watching and taking

[00:49:16] the time to talk with me. I genuinely loved my experience working with hallmark and would Do I would love to work with them again? Let's go rapid fire. I would love to work with them again

[00:49:27] Work again, all right. So rapid fire is we get to ask you three questions And you don't have to necessarily answer them fast. I don't even know why we call it this But that's what we're gonna do. Yes

[00:49:37] All right, I'll go first. Would you like to work with hallmark again? I'm just kidding. You don't have to answer that You would okay. Um from my delight that was one of your questions my first question

[00:49:45] I need you to pretend that you are in a hallmark movie as A a parents giving sage advice To one of their children that's on the precipice of greatness or they think so and you need to say this line

[00:50:00] You have to chase your dreams even if you haven't dreamt them yet And I say that you sort of in a character. You have to chase your own dreams Even if you haven't dreamt them yet. Yes I'm gonna do I'm gonna do my lead in for this. Okay

[00:50:16] Hey What's wrong? No, come on. Don't cry. Hey, I know that this is hard All of this is confusing and at Christmas Nobody deserves that but guess what you have to chase your dreams Even if you haven't dreamt them yet Okay, let's make

[00:50:42] Man, wow nicely done beautiful nicely done. Yeah beautiful in fact Um do does cotton candy Different colors Flavors or no, okay. That's what I thought um when you uh When the night of round and round the premiere

[00:51:02] You're the you're the lead in a in a film on television This how big of it did you have a big gathering family friends? Or were you just like no, I don't want to watch it

[00:51:14] I had a show that night. So I had uh, uh, so I was I was out and about but My stepmother and my father had a premiere where um nice My stepmom um screenshot the like hallmark page like with the little toggle and everything in the hallmark banner

[00:51:35] Like the one that's like you click on it to get the menu and it's a like Menu and like had all of the info like just And so it's like black on the sides and then the screenshot of like me and brian and that banner that says like

[00:51:49] Homework.com and then printed a poster of it is like a step in repeat So I will absolutely get you guys a phone One for the socials or just for us really bts that that's fantastic. Yeah, have you ever broken any bones?

[00:52:06] No, okay the best food is in toronto vancouver or los angeles Wow, I'm gonna get yelled at um I it's really tough because i'm like It depends on the cuisine you're talking about but my favorite type of food is indian food

[00:52:25] So i'm gonna have to say vancouver. Vancouver has the really I would have thought toronto I love I mean toronto is great indian food, but i've like the places that I go to like my favorite one of my favorite indian restaurants is in

[00:52:37] Big done and done. So big on your instagram. You have a picture of yourself. Um wearing an orlando magic Um jersey. This is big. I'm a diehard orlando magic fan. Um Is there look at his shirt? Look at his shirt. Yes, I am actually Yes, I am Oh

[00:52:59] God vik my parents live in orlando and I decided I was gonna be an orlando magic fan because you can get season tickets For that's right because we're bad always great. That's right. Yes

[00:53:09] And so I was like i'm gonna commit to being an orlando magic fan and stuff is the greatest mascot mascot He won mascot of the year mother goose He won mascot of the year. It's true Um, so yes, that that is earnest. I am an orlando magic fan

[00:53:26] I really was like I I want to commit to a fandom there and so I did i'm an la spark fan and Magic things. Can we can we talk? Just moved to two in my rankings I've been thinking three and moved to one for me

[00:53:41] Moved to one for me. Vic, can we are we friends? Can we talk about the magic on a regular? I always need magic fans. Yes. I would love that Who would have guessed that initially I thought I was going to be replacing you on the pod

[00:53:53] Now we're just sit right here. Brian. Brian. We can get something else Vic, I I have an mba podcast. I have an mba podcast with another actor from Vancouver, bc That's exactly right. Antonio K. Oh, that's right. And we talk basketball all the time. You're invited on anytime

[00:54:09] Oh, please would love to literally any time just sort of cry a little bit And then we can talk about what stuff was always Yeah, stuff status. That'd be great. See i'm just making it up for you This is I was the best

[00:54:24] Stuff report. It's a weekly stuff report I love it So we got one last thing Vic every week on our on our interview We're gonna, uh, we're gonna spotlight a charity new for 2024 new for us We're gonna spotlight a charity of the interviewees choice

[00:54:42] Uh, and then we're gonna give some money on our end, uh to that charity and hope that others listening will also Do the same Vic. Do you have a charity for us?

[00:54:53] Yeah, I mean like it's a it's a classic oldie, but the goodie we're gonna go with the trevor project Fantastic. Tell us about the trevor project Um, they're an lgbtq, uh charity

[00:55:06] really, uh, uh very helpful with, uh, lgbtq youth, uh and uh just in general, uh raising funds Helping kids across the country fantastic. Yeah with career jobs internships all kinds of fun things. It's a great charity a great choice

[00:55:22] Uh 100 bucks from from dth going to the trevor project We hope you'll also thank you donate, uh at home if you're listening or in the car or every listening wait till you get Link will be in the description though. Yes, we'll be in the description. Absolutely. Thank you

[00:55:35] You are an absolute treasure. Thank you so much for coming on the pod and uh, we'd love to see you again Can't wait to see uh on our screens this year for sure. That's right hallmark

[00:55:46] So appreciate that last one is a guest next one. I'm gonna be uh your co-host and I really can't wait I'm so excited. I'm excited to have myself do a job. I love jobs and I really hope I got that across

[00:55:56] Uh until next time may we be the first to wish you a merry christmas. Happy hanukkah too Deck the hallmarks of bravel jm podcast is produced by erin shea

[00:56:06] For more information on deck the hallmark, you can go to deck the hallmark dot com for more information on the deck The hallmark family you can go to bravel jam plus dot com deck the hallmark is presented by philo tv for a free trial of philo

[00:56:17] Go to philo dot tv slash dth You're about to hear some ads that help keep the lights on here in the old studio Thanks for listening or don't listen. It's really up to you at this point. Is that the end of the show?

[00:56:36] I mean you're listening to me. Hi But here they come. I promise they're coming. Yep, here they are. Happy day